Massaging device



2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Original Filed Nov. 15, 1945 Mimi;

N IMMMH m Q hT A TTORNEY Feb. 24, 1953 J. ACERBI 7 MASSAGING DEVICE Original Filed Nov. 15, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR .JQIEPH 1465,48!

nrrokusv Patented Feb. 24, 1953 MASSAGING DEVICE Joseph Acerbi, San Francisco, Calif.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 628,007, November 13, 1945. This application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,190

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a massaging device.

This application is a substitute for my previously filed application, Serial No. 628,007 filed November 13, 1945, now abandoned.

In massaging devices, especially those intended for hand operation and powered by means of an electric motor, it is desirable that the device be of simple design and structure. This is a desideratum, not only from the standpoint of manufacturing economy, but also from the standpoint of simplicity of operation and maintenance. It is further desirable that massaging devices of the character described, intended for reducing weight, be capable of alternately compressing or squeezing the flesh of a patient and releasing the same and creating, if possible, a vacuum efiect. It is also desirabl that massaging devices of the character described be safe in operation, even in the hands of an unskilled operator.

Prior massaging devices have been deficient in one or more of the above respects or in other respects. Thus, massaging devices are known which employ oppositely rotating, parallel shafts upon which are mounted soft rubber contact members. These devices involve a cumbersome housing structure and they do not function as efficiently as desirable, especially from the standpoint of weight reducing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved massaging device of the character described.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a massaging device which is adapted to hand operation, which is powered by an electric motor or the like andwhich is safe in its operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a massaging device of the character described which is simple in design and operation and which avoids the necessity of a housing for the rotating elements.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a massaging device of the character described which is operable to alternately compress and release the flesh and to create a vacuum effect.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by Way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my massaging device shown partly in longitudinal section.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation. also partly in section, taken at to the view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view as seen from the left of Figures 1 or 2, showing the contact members in one position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 but showing the contact members in another position.

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1, showing the transmission means for operatively connecting the motor with the massaging elements.

Figures 6A, 6B and 6C are diagrammatic views showing the relation of two of the contact members or balls as they assume different positions.

Referring now to the drawings, the device is generally designated as i i. It comprises a cylindrical motor casing or housing 1 containing an electric motor 12 which is intended to drive a massaging member generally designated as 13. The motor is provided with a switch it and with a suitable conducting cord M which may be plugged into a wall plug. As illustrated, the housing I is provided with diametrically opposite caps I5 which may be unscrewed to allow access to the interior of the housing for the purpose of lubrication. The motor housing I is of such a length and diameter as to provide a convenient handle which is readily grasped in one hand.

A driving connection is provided between the motor and the massaging elements, such driving connection comprising a motor shaft It, a worm ll fixed to the shaft 16 and a Worm wheel I8 meshing with the worm H. A shaft is fixed to the worm wheel 63 and a gear assembly designated as 2E1 at each end of the shaft l3 oppositely rotate stub-shafts 3 and 4. The latter are journaled in and extend through a housing 5 which completely encloses the driving connection or transmission.

The massaging member It comprises two counter-rotating massaging elements 25 which are identical in structure and only one of which need be described. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, it will be seen that the massaging element 25 there shown in longitudinal section comprises a tubular shaft 7 which is fixed by means of a pin 26 to the stub shaft 4. The tubular shaft 6 of the other massaging element 25 is arranged in parallelism to the shaft '6. A pair of arms I are provided which are fixed to the shaft i so as to rotate therewith. One of the arms 5 is disposed near the inner end of the shaft 7 and the other arm is disposed at the outer end thereof. Both arms project radially from opposite sides of the shaft i and they carry a pair of rods Ia at their outer ends. The rods la project beyond the arms I, as illustrated, and each rod is tapped at its ends to receive screws 21.

A plurality of sponge rubber balls or contact elements 8 are carried by the rods Ta. Thus, each ball 8 is formed with an axial bore 28 to receive a bushing 9 which is tightly fitted within the axial bore. As illustrated, three balls are provided for each rod between the arms I and one ball is provided at each end of the rod. The number of balls may be varied from that shown, but for purposes of a hand massaging device, approximately the number shown is advantageous. Preferably, a small amount of axial play is provided by spacing the inner balls, that is, those disposed between th arms 1, a slight distance apart.

The massaging elements 25 are intended to over-lap and intermesh during their counterrotating movement. To this end, the shafts 6 and I are angularly displaced. Thus, as shown in Figure 3, wherein the circles L and R indicate the circumscribing cylinders swept out by the left and right hand massaging elements 25, respectively, when the left hand element is in the vertical position, the right hand element is in the horizontal position.

It will further be apparent that the degree of overlap is large compared to the diameter of the circumscribing cylinders. Further, the balls 8 are of a sufficient diameter that they actually contact one another or come very close to intercontact as they rotate. This feature is best shown in Figures 6A, 6B, and 6C, which are diagrammatic views showing three successive positions of two of the balls as they approach, reach and recede from their point closest approach, respectively.

In operation the housing I is grasped by hand and the switch I is turned to the on position to operate the motor and the massaging elements. The device is held so as to present the bottom portion of the massaging element, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, to the flesh which it is desired to massage. Ordinarily only a slight degree of pressure need be exerted, and in most instances the weight of the massaging elements exerts an adequate pressure. Almost any part of the body may be massaged in this fashion, for example, the limbs, torso, back and even the cheeks.

Among the advantages of my massaging device may be mentioned the following: As two rows of the balls 8 approach each other, i. e., approach the positon shown in Figure 6B, the flesh will be compressed. As these rows recede to the points 0, the flesh will be released. Alternate compression and release and a suction or vacuum effect are thereby accomplished. The force of this action is sufiicient to accomplish Weight reduction, and even in the hands of an unskilled operator there is little likelihood of injury to the patient. Inasmuch as the motor is housed in a tubular housing which can be readily grasped by hand, the necessity of a handle and a motor as separate elements, or the necessity of a flexible shaft is obviated. The massaging elements 25 are easily disassembled by removing the pins 26. The balls 8, which are subject to the most wear, can be removed without the necessity of removing the tubular shafts 6 and I, merely by loosening the screws 27 and pulling the rods free from their supporting arms.

A further advantage resides in the fact that no housing is necesary for the massaging elements. This simplifies construction, makes the device lighter and less cumbersome and allows freer access to the massaging elements. Moreover, the shafts 6 and 1', being flexible and being unsupported at their outer ends, are free to spread apart under pressure. Thus, should the balls 8 by any chance grip the flesh and fail to release it by the action described above and illustrated in Figures 6A, B and C, the pressure exerted by the flesh on the balls and shafts will spread the latter apart so that the flesh will be released. Bruising is thereby prevented.

Also, my massaging device facilitates access to all parts of the body, including areas which are diflicult of access.

While I have illustrated and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A massaging device of the character described, comprising a pair of spaced parallel shafts, means for oppositely rotating said shafts, a pair of arms for each shaft fixed thereto in axially spaced relationship, each said arm projecting radially from opposite sides of its shaft, a pair of rods for each said pair of arms, said rods being slidably mounted in and carried by the outer ends of said arms and projecting beyond said arms at both ends, a plurality of rubber balls for each said rod formed with an axial bore and provided with a bushing in said bore, said balls being mounted on said rod between said arms and on the projecting ends thereof, and detachable means for retaining said balls on said rods.

2. A massaging device of the character described comprising a handle; a pair of shafts suspended from the handle in spaced, parallel arrangement and for rotation about their parallel axes, the suspension of said shafts being at one end only and leaving substantially the entire lengths thereof unobstructed; a set of massaging elements for each shaft; and means supporting each set of massaging elements radially of its shaft; the angular arrangement of said elements about the shafts and their radial spacing from the shafts being such that the two sets, while rotating, describe overlapping cylinders, and such that the elements of one set clear those of the other set but are in substantial rolling contact.

3. A massaging device of the character described comprising a handle, a pair of shafts suspended from the handle in spaced, parallel arrangement and for rotation about their parallel axes, the suspension of said shafts being at one end only and leaving substantially the entire lengths thereof unobstructed; a pair of rods for each said shaft; means mounting each pair of rods on opposite sides of their shaft and spaced radially therefrom; and a plurality of resilient balls rotatably mounted on each of said rods.

4. A massaging device of the character described comprising a handle; a motor disposed within said handle; a pair of shafts suspended at one end by said handle in parallelism and for ro tation about parallel axes; means operatively connecting said motor with said shafts to rotate the shafts oppositely to one another; a pair of rods for each shaft; means mounting each pair of rods on opposite sides of their shaft and in overlapping relation to the other pair; and a plurality of resilient balls rotatably mounted on each said rod, the balls carried by each of said shafts being in substantial rolling contact with the balls carried by the other shaft as the shafts are rotated about their axes.

JOSEPH ACERBI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ruttger-Pelli Sept. 30, 1930 Betz May 28, 1935 Andis Sept. 8, 1942 Betz Dec. 29, 1942 

